By Your Side
by T'Laina
Summary: Follow up to "Tricks at the Beach". Jim finally gets the opportunity to teach Spock to swim. Little did he know about Spock's real motivations for agreeing to it.


**A/N: Follow-up to Tricks at the Beach. Reviews always appreciated!**

* * *

Jim's eyes snapped open in excitement. Today was the day he'd been looking forward to for months. He tossed his bed sheets off and sprung out of bed. He was thankful that most of his mobility had come back after his intensive recovery period. Bones had given him the 'OK' one week ago and now it was time. Time to teach Spock to swim.

Jim quickly showered and put on his beach clothes. He stuffed a pair of spare clothes with a towel into his bag and grabbed some sandals to slip onto his feet. He rushed out the door almost forgetting to lock it. He would walk to the beach. It might take a bit longer than a transport but the exercise would do him good.

* * *

Spock stood patiently at the designated meeting area. Jim was already 10 minutes late. Perhaps he had forgotten. Spock pulled out his communicator and flipped it open just as he saw Jim coming down the street. He closed it, returning it to his bag. Spock waited for Jim to arrive. He shivered slightly. It was a sunny day but the wind was still quite brisk as it was only 0810 hours. As the sun crept higher and higher into the sky, it was as beautiful as it had been on the day that Jim had unexpectedly pushed him into the ocean.

Spock returned to the real world as Jim was metres away from him.

"You excited Spock?" Jim asked enthusiastically.

"Excitement is a human emotion, Jim." Spock replied coolly. Jim just rolled his eyes.

"This what you're wearing?" Jim motioned to Spock's clothing. He was wearing loose, long pants and a black t-shirt.

"I was unaware of what to wear for such an event." Spock replied slightly embarrassed.

"Spock, the amount of clothing you have on will help you drown! Not swim!" Jim said laughing softly. "Here, my spare clothes happen to be shorts. You can wear my clothes and I can wear the clothes you're wearing now when we get changed. Deal?"

Logical, albeit unorthodox, thought Spock.

"Agreed. I will change into these clothes at the public facility. I will return soon."

Jim nodded as he handed over his clothes. Now it was Jim's turn to wait.

"Good start." Jim mumbled dryly.

* * *

Spock returned looking much more like a man going to the beach. The shorts were a little _too_ short for Spock but it would have to do.

"Finally!" Jim exclaimed.

"I was only gone for 3.42 minutes Jim." Spock replied confused.

"OK. Come on, enough delaying. Let's get down to the water!" Jim said ignoring Spock's precise calculations.

Spock and Jim made their way to the water's edge, the wind blowing their hair right back.

"The surf looks a bit rough today, but we should be fine. We won't go deep OK?"

"That would be logical." Spock agreed.

Jim suddenly drew a blank. How exactly do you teach a Vulcan to swim? He thought it would just come naturally, but as he stood near the ocean, he had no idea what to tell Spock.

"Jim, how shall we proceed?" Spock asked as he saw the slight look of confusion on Jim's face.

Jim stared out at the ocean, thoughts scrambling madly.

"Maybe I should have taught you in a swimming pool Spock. Perhaps the ocean wasn't a great idea." He ceded.

"We are here now Jim. It would be illogical for you to give up."

Jim looked to Spock's earnest face. It was illogical indeed.

"Ok Spock. Walk out to the water til you're waist deep." Jim instructed with a sudden bout of confidence. "Don't worry, I'll be right behind you."

Both men made their way through the water. It was quite cold. Spock controlled his shivering.

"Ok, the first thing we'll try is floating. Do as I do." Jim told Spock as he lay down on his back and arched his chest up slightly. He spread out his arms and let the water support him.

Spock raised an eyebrow. He crouched down into the water. Goosebumps made their way all over his body- the water was extremely cold. He lay on his back and spread out his arms as Jim was. He promptly started to sink as the waves tossed him around.

"Arch your chest up Spock!" Jim encouraged.

Spock did so and managed to raise himself back to the surface. He then stood up to face Jim.

"Good, good. Now, Spock, watch my arms. I'm going to show you a basic stroke called freestyle." Jim showed Spock the movement with his arms above the water. "While you're doing this with your arms, you have to make small kicks with your feet. Watch."

Jim moved away from Spock a bit and then swam freestyle through the waves for about five metres.

"Have a try!" Jim called to Spock.

Spock hesitated for a moment. His teeth were starting to chatter together uncontrollably. Jim did not seem to be experiencing such discomfort. He pushed the cold out of his mind and focused on the freestyle.

Spock's freestyle was somewhat similar to a child learning it for the first time. His arms flailed around in the air and his kicks were unnecessarily forceful.

Jim was laughing when Spock stood up after finishing his try.

"That was brilliant Spock. Child-like, but pretty damn good." Jim said still laughing.

Spock nodded in acknowledgment

"Come on, let's try it again Spock."

* * *

For the next hour, Spock and Jim worked on freestyle. Spock's movements became more refined and smooth.

"Great work Spock! Let's call it a day for now." Jim called over to Spock who was a few metres away.

Spock returned to a standing position but promptly began to see black spots in his vision. His shivering had turned violent and he had trouble remaining upright as he made his way back to the sand.

Seeing his friend looking slightly dazed, Jim followed behind him quickly.

"Are you OK Spo-"

Jim was cut off as Spock fell forward towards the sand. Jim quickly caught Spock before he fell. Spock was now unconscious but still shivering violently. Jim panicked. He dragged Spock onto the sand and lay him down.

"Spock?" Jim said louder than normal. He shook his friend's shoulders slightly. The shivering had not stopped and Spock wasn't waking up.

Jim raced over to his bag and grabbed his communicator. He called Bones.

"This is my day off kid, this better be important." Bones growled.

"Bones, Spock passed out at the beach. He won't stop shivering!" Jim exclaimed as he attempted to wrap towels around Spock to warm him up.

"I'll be there soon."

* * *

Spock's eyes slowly fluttered open.

"You should have known better Jim. He has a lower body temperature to us! If you thought the water was just a little too cold for your tastes- imagine what he must have been feeling!" Spock heard Doctor McCoy say.

"He seemed fine, Bones! He was getting the hang of the swimming thing too! Then he suddenly just passed out!" Jim exclaimed.

Spock looked at his surroundings. He was in a clinic. He had multiple blankets wrapped around himself and the room's environmental settings had clearly been raised to be warmer.

"Doctor," he managed to say.

Jim and Bones both turned to face Spock.

"Don't worry hobgoblin. You just had a mild case of hypothermia. Looks like our infinitely wise captain here forgot that you were particularly susceptible to the cold." Bones said shooting a little scowl to Jim.

"No, Doctor. Even if Jim knew, I would have continued with the lesson anyway. Jim has been looking forward to this day for many months. I would not want to ruin it for him." Spock said quietly.

"Spock, you are to never put yourself at risk just for the sake of me. You hear that? Never." Jim chided.

"As your First Officer, that is precisely what I must do."

Jim's eyes widened.

"Bones, gives us a minute?" Jim requested to Bones quietly.

Bones nodded and left the room. Jim moved over to Spock's bedside.

"What is this really about Spock?" Jim asked him gently.

Spock did not say anything for a short while. He pulled the blankets tighter around himself.

"I was meant to protect you Jim," Spock stated simply. "My duty was to keep you safe at all costs. I failed in my duty. I am never going to let that happen again. I would gladly risk my health for your well-being and happiness."

Jim was shocked.

"Spock, what I did to save the Enterprise... I would never ask you to do that. It was my responsibility. She was my ship and it was my crew. It was under such extreme circumstances. I don't expect you to protect me Spock. Physically or emotionally."

Spock shook his head. He reached out of his blankets and took Jim's arm very gently.

"You don't understand Jim. It is not only my duty to protect you, I _want_ to protect you. You are my greatest friend, my other half. I would follow you across the universe to keep you safe."

Jim opened his mouth to say something but found he had no words. Suddenly, the emotional impact of the whole Khan ordeal and his recovery came flooding in. He didn't bother controlling his tears. Spock took Jim's hand properly and allowed Jim to release his pent up emotions. Jim's shoulders convulsed slightly as he wept.

After a few minutes, Jim finally stopped crying. He wiped his eyes and looked back to Spock who had a reassuring look of calm on his face. Jim smiled slightly.

"I'm sorry Spock. I didn't mean to unload on you like that." Jim said quietly.

"There is no need for apologies Jim." Spock said somewhat soothingly increasing the tightness with which he held Jim's hand. "Wherever you go, I will be by your side. That means in the bad times and the good times."

Jim stared into Spock's eyes trying to show his appreciation of him.

_Wherever you go, I will be by your side_. The words echoed in Jim's mind. After a few minutes, Jim broke the silence.

"So, next time, we're going to a pool. A really warm pool." Jim said teasingly.

Spock gave him an almost smile.

"A logical choice Jim." He replied a little sleepily.

"I'll let you rest Spock. I should probably get back to Bones' lecture."

Jim gave Spock a grin. He gently removed his hand from Spock's and left the room to let him rest.

_Wherever you go, I will be by your side..._


End file.
